


Safety Net

by seokbtch



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Chatting & Messaging, Choi Yena cameo, Fluff, Light Angst, M/M, Social Media, Texting, seoksoon
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-09
Updated: 2020-07-20
Packaged: 2021-03-05 01:00:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,149
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25165834
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seokbtch/pseuds/seokbtch
Summary: Lee Seokmin is the type of person who has no favorites. He has never picked a favorite food, a favorite color, a favorite book, nor a favorite song. Above all, Seokmin has no favorite person. Not that he doesn't like to have one, but he knows he will still end up alone, stuck up in the corners of his room, at the end of the day. He was successful in being distant for the past two decades of his peaceful life, until a certain Kwon Soonyoung decided he wanted to be a character in his story.or, Seokmin is too nice. He'd rather be alone and hurting than be with someone and hurt them.
Relationships: Boo Seungkwan/Chwe Hansol | Vernon, Choi Seungcheol | S.Coups/Yoon Jeonghan, Kwon Soonyoung | Hoshi/Lee Seokmin | DK
Comments: 1
Kudos: 17





	1. Introduction

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by SVT's Fear (because I am sure we are all bitches of that song). Also, loosely inspired with my own messed up life.

Lee Seokmin is the type of person who has no favorites. He has never picked a favorite food, a favorite color, a favorite book, nor a favorite song. He never really think of something he likes, especially with material things.

Imagine the amount of stress he got, as a child, whenever he is asked by a friend to answer a slambook or when his teacher required them to write an essay about what they wanted to be in the future. Unlike other children who cries when they don't get the toy they wanted, Seokmin seems cool about everything. Their neighbors even say that he matured too early or some would go as far as telling that he is apathetic.

Seokmin;s environment while growing up pushed him to become this selfless. He never tried to understand what he wants and go with what others are telling him to do. He put out little lies when asked for a specific thing he wants. If asked to pick for himself, he settles with what is left unpicked. And when they have to reach a concencus, he goes with what the majority desires.

Above all, Seokmin has no favorite person. Not that he doesn't like to have one, but he knows he will end up alone, stuck up in the corners of his room, at the end of the day.

Don't get him wrong. He is not a loner, he actually has a circle he can call friends. However, he still tries to keep a reasonable distance between him and the world because he knows that once he take a step closer, he would fall for anything near, that may even get to the point of irrational possessiveness.

He tried doing this for the past two decades of his peaceful life, until...

a certain Kwon Soonyoung decided he wanted to be a character in his story.


	2. Lost and Found

As soon as he entered his room, Seokmin slumped on his bedroom couch, tossing his backpack and a bundle of readings on the floor. Commute to and from school had him dying and it hasn't been a week since the start of college. He doesn't even know if he can do this for four more years.

Letting out a sigh, he stared into the blank white ceiling of his room, not minding the sweat that trickled down his face. He ended up reminiscing the first few days of hell he had been through, well in formal words, college.

Hell indeed even before it started. He is in the course which he thinks is too hard for his own mental capacity. He doesn't even know if he is smart enough to be in one of the most prestigious schools in Korea, Pledis University, with a whooping scholarship. Well, as his mom said, he wouldn't pass if he doesn't have a brain, so he tried holding on to his mom's words.

A bunch of kids from his high school are also in the same university but he did not see any familiar name in their block group chat. He thought he was the only one who manage to passed the evil/ 'only-for-geniuses' course that he is in, until he bumped into Seungkwan on the first day of school.

The college block Seokmin is in already has their block group chat the night before the official opening of classes. They, block 17, decided to meet up to find their first class room, which is a programming class. But Seokmin may have had a sip of bad luck that morning.

\---

**[Block 17]**

**Mingyu**  
Minghao and I are in one of the umbrella tables in the cafeteria guys.

 **Minghao**  
Look for a cool guy in neon green top and bottom

 **Chan**  
Wait for me please, I don't have a single idea where's our first class at :<

 **Yena**  
Dude you're reflecting green on the walls, it would be stupid not to spot you @minghao

 **Seokmin**  
Hello, I think I'm another kind of stupid. Idk where's the caf at 😭

 **Chan**  
Sorry for saying this though we have never met yet, but I think you're a whole ass comedy Seokmin HAHAHAHAHA

 **Mingyu**  
Just ask a guard or a senior if you're lost!!!

 **Chan**  
I have literal tears from laughing FJAKCJJS I'm sorry

 **Seokmin**  
I'm laughing at myself as well dw @Chan

\-----

Of course, Seokmin can't laugh at his situation right now. His introvertedness is slapping him left and right. Seokmin pocketed his phone as he try to brush off the slight annoyance he had at Chan's comment. Seokmin is a little sensitive person but he promised himself not let it show to avoid any misunderstandings, especially now that he is in college and too old for the dramas.

He mustered up the tiny bit of courage he has and approached a guy with a green-laced ID on his neck, implying that he is a junior student. He has pale skin and a died blonde hair that frames his angelic face. He is sitting on one of the benches with a phone in his hand. Before Seokmin could even ask a question, the guy in front of him already spoke.

"Are you lost?" he said looking at the blue-laced ID wrapped neatly around Seokmin's neck, which screams 'college freshman'.

"Kinda", Seokmin replied shyly. "I am supposed to meet my blockmates in the cafeteria"

"Ohh, that's like super far from here, and I can't accompany you, I have to meet someone here." The guy said sadly then scrolled through his phone before looking up to Seokmin again, "What's your messenger name? I'll send you the school map."

Seokmin's face brightened up. "Thank you so much, uhh-"

"Angel hyung. Call me your angel, I saved you today." He said giving out a playful experimental wink.

Seokmin was not able to supress the small laughter he had from the nickname the guy gave himself. Too childish, he thought.

He showed his ID to the guy so he can get his name and go to the cafeteria already. He hurriedly said thank you again then gave him a big wave, saying goodbye to the kind upperclassman.

His phone pings, showing a notification of a message from a certain Yoon Jeonghan. He realized it is from the guy earlier as he clicks the picture of the school map in the message.

\---

 **Jeonghan**  
*forwarded an image*

 **Seokmin**  
Thank you so much hyung!!!

_Jeonghan changed his nickname to Angel 😇_

**Angel 😇**  
Haha message me if you're still lost!

 **Seokmin**  
Yup, tysm!  
Wait  
Is this CLP building in the map the one where programming classes are held?

 **Angel 😇**  
Yep, yep!  
The lecture halls are on the 2nd and 3rd floors.

 **Seokmin**  
You saved me twice in less than 10mins  
Ahhhh thank you TT

 **Angel 😇**  
No problem!  
Goodluck today seokmin!

\-----

Seokmin hurried to the second floor to locate his room. He found it near the corner of the hallway. Peaking through the glass window of the wooden door, he saw that no one was inside the room yet. He contemplated if he should go in already or not for a minute then decided to just go down the building again to save himself from awkwardly greeting his classmates, whom he had forgetten to meet in the cafeteria. He waited for the bell that signals the start of the class near the vending machine as a guy slowly tap his shoulder.

He turned around and before he could even recognize the identity of the man who disturbed him, the man already jumped at him and gave him a big tight hug.

"Seokminnieee". The guy shouted at his ear.

He recognized that infamous shriek is from his high school classmate, Boo Seungkwan. He returned the hug as he felt at ease to see someone he knew that morning.

"Where's your first class?" Seungkwan asked, excitement still evident in his voice.

"Programming in room CLP204." Seokmin replied clinging to Seungkwan's arms.

"Wait," Seungkwan looked at his phone wallpaper that has his class schedule. "OMG, we're classmates in that class"

"Really? Wait, what block are you?" Seokmin asked.

"I'm in 17 with my bf, what about you?" Seungkwan said still looking at his phone.

"OKAY WTF" Seokmin spelled out "We're also blockmates."

Seokmin was too happy to be able to found a friend. At least there is one person not stranger to him. They chatted for a while before they heard the bell rang. As they went up the second floor, Seokmin opened his messenger to see notifications from the block gc.

\---  
 **[Block 17 ]**

 **Mingyu**  
We've left the caf already guys!  
We are already in the room

 **Chan**  
I heard the bell already, run people!!!  
The prof looks scary 😖

 **Seokmin**  
Hello again  
I found another blockmate on the way!

_Seokmin added Boo Seungkwan to Block 17_   
_Seungkwan added Chwe Hansol to Block 17_

_\-----_

Seokmin sighed again, shaking his mind off that eventful first day of classes. He is still resting on the couch in his room. He stretched his left leg reaching for the button of the small electric fan in the corner. He felt relaxed as the cool breeze from the fan started to brush against his sweat-moist skin. Not long enough, he dozed off to sleep, leaving his stuff scattered on the floor and his phone uncharged.


	3. Gone, Now Here

When Seokmin woke up, the sky outside his window already turned dark. The clock said it's already quarter to 8 and it was past his dinner time. With a growling stomach, Seokmin went down the kitchen then rummaged into one of his cupboards for a pack of ramen. While he was waiting for the water to boil, he run back to his room to find his phone amongst the mess on the floor. He found it lying face down under the stack of papers. Not forgetting to grab the charger on top of his study table as well, he went down again to the kitchen.

Once he turned on his phone, a series of pings echoed in the room. Notifications came in, one by one filling his phone screen. Among the notifications, he saw 3 missed calls from his best fried, Joshua.

Hong Joshua is his friend ever since childhood. They lived together in one neighborhood when they were toddlers. They practically grew up on each other's side until, one day, Joshua went to the States saying their family would just visit their grandmother; however, no Joshua came back after years.

Joshua was Seokmin's first heartbreak. Not in a romantic way. But he ended up crying his heart out when he realized that people aren't always there. No matter how much your heart wants them to be there, even if they promised to be there.

For years Seokmin, had lost contact with Joshua, his one and only bestfriend. But, of course, as much as Seokmin felt disappointed by the disappearance of Joshua, he still felt ecstatic when Joshua came back. Now, his bestfriend is a junior in the same university that he is in. Seokmin is excited to spend more time with the man he recognizes as a constant in his life.

\---

**[Joshua/Seokmin Text]**

**Joshua the best**  
ARE YOU STILL ALIVE  
ANSWER MY CALLS

 **Joshie the best**  
ARE YOU SLEEPING AGAIN?

 **Joshie the best**  
N E WAYS CHECK TWITTER DM WHENEVER

 **NOT BABIE**  
WAAAITTTT YES I SLEPT :c  
WHAT HAPPENED HYUNG?

 **NOT BABIE**  
YOU'RE SCARING ME HYUNG PLEASE REPLY

 **Joshie the best**  
Chill dumb bitch  
If you check your twitter now, you wouldn't be panicking

 **NOT BABIE**  
oh right HAHAHAHA  
aight! on it hyung!

\-----

Before opening his twitter app, Seokmin checked the other notifications first. There is a text message from his mom telling him that she'll come home late and to not wait for her anymore. There are a number of notifications from their block group chat too. He would have just ignored all of them but he saw that Seungkwan has mentioned him in one of the messages from the gc.

He clicked on it even before he could process what's happening. Apparently, the dance troop of Pledis is recruiting new members and, their mentors/buddies, Jeonghan and Seungcheol are trying to encourage them to audition. They were asking who has hidden dance skills and such, and he was tagged together with the other kids from his block.

Yep, that guy he asked for directions during the first day of classes, coincidentally, is one of the mentors/buddies of their block. Their university has a system in which upperclassmen are given extra credits for helping a block of freshies adjust into college. Seokmin was relieved that he got acquainted with Jeonghan before that so it lessened the awkward atmosphere between them. That leaves him to only making an effort to befriend Seungcheol.

Choi Seungcheol is Jeonghan's boyfriend. They have been in a relationship for months now but Seokmin have been hearing his name way before that. It is all because Seungcheol is Joshua's crush. This one sided thing started during their freshman year but Joshua has no intention of confessing because he knew of Jeonghan's existence. Of course, Seokmin wanted Joshua to be happy but he just can't meddle with Joshua's affairs, as a respect to his decisions as well.

**\---**

**[Block 17]**

**Seungcheol**  
*sent a link to Block 17*

 **Jeonghan**  
do we have any dancers here?

 **Seungcheol**  
@Chan @Soonyoung  
I AM SUMMONING YOU MY KIDS

 **Soonyoung**  
I ALREADY SIGNED UP!!!!!!  
FIRST ON THE LIST!!!!!!

 **Jeonghan**  
Speed

 **Chan**  
@Seungkwan and @Vernon I KNOW YOU HAVE THE SKILLS PLEASE TRY OUT WITH US!!!

 **Vernon**  
**i** dk man  
I'm G only if my Boo's auditioning

 **Chan**  
stop being disgusting here vernon

 **Seungkwan**  
I am a singer but I never backed out, cowards ain't allowed under my roof

 **Seungkwan**  
@Kim Mingyu @Xu Minghao @Lee Seokmin I am dragging you into this pit

\-----

Seokmin didn't bother replying to the group chat as he has no particular cling to the idea of being in a dance troop. Yes he loves dancing and he at least thinks that he doesn't look half-bad moving his body to the beats of music. However, competitive dancing isn't really his thing. Moreover, he lacks a pinch of self-confidence contrary to what others think of him.

He didn't bother replying to the chat and just opened his twitter dm to look for Joshua's message.

\---  
**[Joshua/Seokmin Twitter DM]**

 **@joshhong**  
*sent you a link*

 **@joshhong**  
pledis univ dance troop opened their recruitment

 **@joshhong**  
YOU MUST TRY-OUT!!!

 **@seokmilk**  
ohh this thing

 **@seokmilk**  
it was just sent to us in the block gc  
I was tagged along with the other blockmates i don't know yet haha  
sent by seungcheol hyung, i forgot to say 👀😏

 **@joshhong**  
WELL IT IS NOT "DESTINY"  
WE'RE JUST FRIENDS  
HE HAS JEONGHAN NOW ANYWAY

 **@seokmilk**  
woah chill man, your one-sided crush is showing

 **@joshhong**  
I AM DISOWNING YOU CHILD 😤

 **@joshhong**  
ANYWAYS PLEASE GO TO THE AUDITIONS. YOUR DANCING IS TOO GOOD TO NOT BE FLEXED ON STAGE

 **@seokmilk**  
i dont know yet hyung :<

 **@joshhong**  
please :< just try!

 **@seokmilk**  
I'll think about it hehe

 **@joshhong**  
YEY!

 **@joshhong**  
AND BEFRIEND YOUR BLOCKMATES!!!

\-----

Seokmin leave his best friend on read, placing his phone on top of the table. His ramen has now gone cold but he still eats it anyway. He feels a little iffy about auditioning for the dance troop. He has been dancing since toddler but no one has really said anything outstanding about his dance skills. He also thinks that the small compliments said about it were just part of the others being friendly and not wanting to hurt his feelings.

Seokmin stood up examining the pockets of his sweatpants. At this point in his life, he knows what to rely on. He is looking for a coin because whenever he feels doubtful of his decisions, he relies his fate on doing toss coins. Unfortunately, his pocket is empty except for the fluff of thread hiding in it. He turned on his twitter app once again and let twitter do its thing.

\---

 **@seokmilk:** 1k likes and I'll audition for pledis dance troop :0

\--> **@seokmilk:** I won't be upset if this flops hehe , it's just that SEOKMIN = INDECISIVENESS

\--> **@joshhong:** YES DO IT PLEASE

\--> **@booSK:** @//moots! rt this OR watch me give birth to 1k twitter accounts!!!

\--> **@booSK:** @chwevern babe rt this ILY

\-----

He left twitter again laughing at Seungkwan's replies. He knows it is quite impossible for that tweet to reach 1k since his tweets receive an average of 10 retweets and he has less than 1k followers. He got his mind off the dance troop thing for a while to prepare for his class tomorrow and probably get a good night sleep.


	4. Do It or Don't

"Oh wow."

The amount of notifications he got the morning after rendered Seokmin speechless. The tweet he left gained numbers in less than 24 hours. It got him thinking if people really wanted to cheer him on and encourage him to audition because he doesn't know the others who replied to his tweet. Or Seungkwan probably did make a thousand of extra twitter accounts just for this. Nonetheless, he can't back out now. He is indecisive but once he set something on stone, he tries his best to make it happen.

\---

_**[Twitter]** _

**@seokmilk:** 1k likes and I'll audition for pledis dance troop :0

_[254 retweets; 1484 likes]_

> **@seokmilk:** I won't be upset if this flops hehe , it's just that SEOKMIN = INDECISIVENESS

> **@joshhong:** YES DO IT PLEASE 

> **@booSK:** @//moots! rt this OR watch me give birth to 1k twitter accounts!!!

> **@booSK:** @chwevern babe rt this ILY

> **@chwevern:** go seokmin I believe in you!

> **@soondays:** gluck !

> **@xumingmeow:** we're all in this together seok

\-----

Once Seokmin arrived in the university, he went directly to the room of the dance troop. He wrote his name in the paper pinned in the large cork board outside the club room. He took a picture of it as a memento of his risk taking decision. He sent the picture to Joshua and Seungkwan so they have a proof that he really did sign up for the auditions. In his subconscious, the message to his friends also shows how much proud he is to himself for actually trying, despite of self-doubt.

\---

_**[Seungkwan/Seokmin Chat]** _

**seok**  
*sends a picture*

this is because of the extra twitter accounts you made haha

 **booboo**  
I love you but I was just joking about the extra accounts  
I am too lazy for that

 **booboo**  
anyways, that is still because I am POWERFUL

 **seok**  
whatever, treat me ice cream if I get rejected

 **booboo**  
stop being pessimistic

 **booboo**  
vernon says you can do it!

 **seok**  
are you dating this early morning?

 **booboo**  
yes, now go find yourself a boyfriend bye 😘

\-----  
\---

_**[Joshua/Seokmin Chat]** _

**babie**  
*sends a picture*

 **babie**  
you owe me an ice cream for this

 **joshu**  
YEYYYYYY! I am so excited for you

 **joshu**  
we going ice cream date once I'm done with this workload

 **babie**  
I'm screenshot-ing this convo for receipt

 **joshu**  
hey! I NEVER DITCHED YOU!

 **babie**  
I know I know

\-----

Throughout the day, Seokmin's mind is filled with the excitement for the audition next week. And as soon as his classes were done for the day, he started practicing in front of the full-length mirror in his house. He checked the account of his favorite dancer on youtube and clicked on the latest dance choreography posted.

He picks up dance routine relatively fast for someone who has never been formally taught how to dance and he is proud of it. However, he is aware that his skills are probably not on a par with the others so he mentally prepares himself for the chance of failing. Though failing seemed to have been part of his life.


	5. Take It or Lose It

The audition itself hasn't even started yet, but Seokmin already wants to go home. He is now standing in the middle of SVT Studios looking like a lost kid. He doesn't know what is really happening right nowand he is utterly confused.

He went in to the dance studio ten minutes before the meet up time, scared that he might miss the auditions for being late. He waited outside for people he knew, like Seungkwan or Vernon, or the both of them because they will obviously go in the auditions together, but none of them appeared. The instructor let them in and ordered them to leave their things inside the lockers. He quickly messaged Seungkwan before putting his valuables inside and running to the mirrored area.

\---

_**[Seungkwan/Seokmin Chat]** _

**seok**  
where are you?  
and vernon?

 **seok**  
we might start in a few minutes, go run!

\-----

The instructor said that they will be teaching a dance routine and they have to learn and master it as much as they can because they will be graded in the latter part of the audition. Seokmin was left dumbfounded once the instructor started teaching. He started off with a chassé and a series of pirouettes on the second eights. Seokmin freaked out as he has no ballet or jazz background. He cannot focus on learning the routine and his mind is too dizzy to understand any of the jargon that the instructor is blabbering. He just knew from that point in time that he will definitely flunk the auditions.

During the water break, Seokmin is contemplating if he should fake a stomachache and just go home. He wanted to at least save himself from the embarrassment of dancing in front of the panel of judges later looking like a worm. But he decided against it because he has promised his friends and himself to go through the auditions, no matter what may come out of it.

Despite having an obvious handicap, Seokmin still tried his best to get through and learn the routine. He cleared his mind and decided to just strike while the iron is still hot. He is definitely stressed out but he gave himself a pat on the back and a promise to eat anything he wants for his dinner.

Seokmin checked his phone after moving on from that belittling experience, his self-confidence is at ground level as of the moment.

\---

_**[Seungkwan/Seokmin Chat]** _

**seok**  
where are you?  
and vernon?

 **seok**  
we might start in a few minutes, go run!

 **booboo**  
wHAT?  
where should I be right now?

 **booboo**  
I just saw your tweets sksksk  
why are you at the contemporary dance auditions?

 **seok**  
what?

 **booboo**  
I know you dance street and knows a little breakin'  
since when did you start trying to be as atore?

 **seok**  
what???

 **booboo**  
stop saying what or I'll kick your ass

 **seok**  
I'm confused... so is their another dance genre audition earlier?

 **booboo**  
nooo  
vernon and I went to the streetdance auditions yesterday

 **seok**  
why didn't you tell me??? :((((((

 **booboo**  
woops sorry seokmin :<  
I was pre-occupied yesterday I forgot to message you

 **seok**  
wait no no  
I didn't mean it that way

 **seok**  
it's alright  
I'll just pray for divine intervention on this one HAHA

 **booboo**  
sorry still :--(

 **booboo**  
I'll go to your place, I'll bring food!!!!

 **seok**  
woki  
drive safe kwannie!

\-----

Seokmin must admit to himself that he is a tiny bit disappointed that no one remembered to message him yesterday, his supposed audition day. If he received at least one "break a leg" message, he would have known that he should be auditioning yesterday. What's making him sadder now is the fact that he cannot bring back yesterday.

He took his time sulking in his room before Seungkwan rang his doorbell. Now is the time that he should accept that he is being immature minutes ago and no one is responsible for everything that happened today to him but himself. He didn't want to be immature in front of Seungkwan so he tried his best to smile and brush off the negativity that is filling him in before opening the front door.

Seungkwan, as one of the kindest persons in the world, gave Seokmin a hug before everything else. Seokmin didn't want to talk about what happened anymore but Seungkwan encouraged him to release what distresses him. He ended up crying unwillingly in Seungkwan's arms. He is glad that Seungkwan never gave him a judgemental look and empty consolations.

"Seokiiee, I can't sleepover tonight tho I really want to" Seungkwan said sadly after reading a message he just got.

"I'm guessing you're going to Vernon again hmm" Seokmin said teasingly.

Seungkwan went silent for minutes and Seokmin decided to break it.

"You don't have to worry about me anymore, Kwan. I moved on from my stupidity." Seokmin said to reassure Seungkwan.

Seungkwan beamed a smile at this. "You are really the best idiot I met"

Seungkwan left after they finished watching their 32nd "My Sassy Girl". Seokmin is happy that Seungkwan is happy with Vernon and Vernon looks like a decent man. At least his friend's heart is secured and far from being broken.

He imagines what would he become when he meets his own "Vernon", until he dozed off to sleep.   
  


**Author's Note:**

> open for constructive criticisms :3


End file.
